Zero valent iron (ZVI) has been studied as a strong reductant for the environmental remediation of a wide variety of organic and inorganic contaminants including nitroaromatic compounds, uranium (VI), chromate (VI) and chlorinated organic solvents. In recent years nanoscale ZVI has gained considerable attention due to its enhanced reactivity compared to bulk or microscale iron particles.
Nanoscale ZVI is characterized by small particles having a cross section greater than 10 nm up to 100 nm, and high specific surface area, hence providing more reactive surface sites and enhanced reaction rates (1-3 order of magnitude higher) as compared with non-nanoscale ZVI.